Following Instructions

Date Published: March 15, 2022
Author: Michelle Liu, BCBA

Following instructions is a big part of our lives. We follow instructions throughout our day and it requires many skills, such as listener responding (a form of verbal behavior that requires the listener to respond to another’s verbal behavior), attending to the speaker, comprehending receptive language, and following through to complete a task. It’s important to know how to give instructions properly and to know that the recipient who has been given directions, possesses the necessary skills to follow through. If they do not, assisting them to follow through is just as important.

Here are a few reminders on how to give an instruction:

1. Give one direction at a time: It can be overwhelming when people are given multiple instructions at a time and possible for the recipient to forget the instructions. Give one direction at a time so your child can be successful in following through.

2. Give short, simple directions: Use direct language when providing instruction for your child. This will help your child become more independent and capable of completing the task. Do not include extra words such as “Okay, now…” or “It would be really nice if you…,” These can make it more difficult for your child to follow your directions. Be simple and direct.

3. Be specific: Tell your child exactly what you want them to do by specifying the desired behavior. For example, if your child is climbing on his chair and you want them to stop, you would state, “Keep a safe body on the chair,” (specific) instead of “Stop climbing on the furniture” (not specific).

4. Make sure that your child is paying attention to you: Make sure you have your child’s full attention. Make eye contact, get onto their eye level, say their name, and wait for them to respond by looking at you. If necessary, you may need to remove a distracting item.

5. State it positively: Avoid words such as “Don’t,” or “No,” which teach your child what not to do but do not tell your child what to do. You can emphasize an instruction such as, “Remember to walk,” instead of “No running.”

6. Give extra assistance: Instructions are easier to follow if prompts are given to help complete the task. For example, gesture to the child to sit down by pointing to the chair.

7. Tell, don’t ask: Statements such as, “Can you sit down?” or “Let’s see if you can clean up,” can be puzzling to understand and may provide too many options. Delivering direct instructions can be more helpful for them to complete the task.

After your child has completed the task, it is crucial to reward them with specific praise. For example: “I love how you pushed in your chair!” or “Thank you for putting away your jacket!” Provide hugs/smiles to express joy in their achievement. Your response after a completed task may impact the future likelihood of your child completing instructions. Be consistent! If you have questions about following instructions or any of the methods described, please contact your BCBA or teacher to learn more.

About the Author:

Michelle Liu is a BCBA on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services is a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education that supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).